Faculty of Arts

If you want to apply for a higher degree by research but do not have the necessary preparation and are not eligible for honours entry, you may apply for admission to the Higher Degree by Research Preliminary course.

The Higher Degree by Research Preliminary (HDR Prelim) course is usually one-year full-time or equivalent part-time and is made up of an honours-level program of study. This can be varied depending on a student's existing knowledge and what they require to adequately prepare for entry to a higher degree by research.

The Higher Degree by Research Preliminary is not a stand-alone qualification.

Because the HDR Prelim is not a stand-alone qualification, if you wish to take an honours-equivalent program that constitutes a stand-alone qualification, you should apply for the Graduate Diploma in Arts (Advanced). This is a fee-paying course for local and international students.

1. Entry requirements
2. Time limits
3. Structure of HDR Prelim programs
4. Withdrawal and revisions to HDR Prelim programs
5. HDR Prelim results
6. Application forms

Entry requirements

The entry requirements for the HDR Prelim are more flexible than those for honours (for example, you need not have completed your pass degree within the previous seven years in order to qualify).

However, applicants will generally be expected to have a degree which includes the equivalent of a major sequence in the discipline they wish to take the HDR Prelim in, and grades the same as those required for honours entry (at least half of the pass degree points at 65 per cent or above, plus any additional discipline-specific requirements).

You should discuss your eligibility for HDR Prelim entry and a proposed program of study with the discipline concerned, which will make a recommendation to Faculty.

All HDR Prelim applications and programs must be approved by the Dean.

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Time limits

The HDR Prelim course can be taken over two semesters full-time or three to four semesters part-time.

If you encounter medical or personal difficulties that hamper your progress it is possible to extend the time limit by up to two semesters with special permission from the Faculty on the recommendation of the discipline group(s) concerned.

Work commitments rarely justify extension of the HDR Prelim time limit.

If you do not need to extend your time limit, but wish to request an extension on your dissertation submission date, you should discuss this with your discipline group honours/HDR Prelim co-ordinator in the first instance.

Extensions of longer than two weeks should be reported to the Faculty on a special approval form.

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Structure of HDR Prelim programs

Nearly all honours programs in the Faculty normally consist of a 24-point dissertation (split into two 12-point semester halves) and 24 points worth of coursework seminars (split into a combination of 6 and 12-point semester units).

Most HDR Prelim programs will conform to this structure, though variations are possible and students may not be required to undertake a full 48-point (one year full-time or equivalent part-time) program.

Students who first enrolled prior to 2004

Students who first enrolled in their HDR Prelim program prior to 2004 may need to enrol in special units as part of the transition to the new course structure. Further information is set out in the Faculty's Transition Policy, or available from the Student Office.

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Withdrawal and revisions to HDR Prelim programs

Individual HDR Prelim programs will be approved by the Faculty when students first enrol.

If you want to make subsequent changes to your program, you should submit to the Faculty a change of enrolment form and a revised program signed by your discipline group's honours/HDR Prelim co-ordinator.

The dissertation is treated as a single full-year component

Although the dissertation is split into two separate semester-long codes, it is normally treated as a single full-year component of the HDR Prelim program taken across two consecutive semesters in both part-time and full-time programs.

Students who withdraw from their dissertation enrolment (for example, by changing from a full-time to part-time program) should note that they will require the permission of their discipline group honours/HDR Prelim co-ordinator and the Faculty if they wish to re-enrol to complete the dissertation at a later date.

You are advised to discuss the implications of any proposed revision to their HDR Prelim program with their discipline group honours/HDR Prelim co-ordinator and the Student Office.

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HDR Prelim results

You enrol in a separate unit code for each of their HDR Prelim components, including a separate code for each semester half of the dissertation.

A mark will be allocated at the end of each semester for each individual unit enrolment, with the exception of the dissertation 1 unit (first half of the dissertation), which will be graded as SP (satisfactory progress) as this is a part-unit only.

The results for dissertation 2 and all seminar/coursework units taken will be used to calculate the overall HDR Prelim result in accordance with the formula applied in the relevant discipline group(s) (which will normally involve a proportional weighting of each component).

Results will be classified as follows:

• Preliminary Qualified (PQ) 70-100 per cent
• Preliminary Not Qualified (PN) 0-69 per cent

Results for individual components and the overall course result of PQ/PN will appear on your academic transcript.

Students must achieve 70 per cent or above (the equivalent of First Class Honours or Second Class Division A Honours) to have reached the standard required for admission to a higher degree by research.

Students achieving 65-69 per cent may be granted the result Preliminary Qualified at the discretion of the Board of the Postgraduate Research School, which is responsible for entry to higher degrees by research.

Students should note that even if they have a result of Preliminary Qualified, they must still apply for admission to a higher degree by research in the usual way, and entry is not automatic.

Census dates for units of study and last dates to withdraw apply

The census dates for units of study and last dates to withdraw each semester apply to HDR Prelim units.

Failed HDR Prelim units cannot be repeated

If you fail an HDR Prelim unit, you will not be permitted to repeat it and will have your mark factored into the calculation of your overall HDR Prelim result.

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Application forms

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